Database Develop

Questions before flash

Hey guys.
I know this has probably been asked/answered a million times before, but hopefully you can understand me wanting a final confirmation before i risk my £500 phone...I have done a lot of reading around this subject, and and *think* i have my head around the most of it now.
Sorry for the block of text, I have put my actual questions in blue to make them a little easier to spot.
So I have the 16GB Galaxy S from Vodafone UK. It is currently completely stock (not even rooted), and is running the JF3 firmware. The details of the phone are:
PDA: I9000XXJF3
Phone: I9000XXJF3
CSC: I9000VODJE4
The phone is unbranded, and will accept an o2 SIM, so I assume it is SIM unlocked.
I am wanting to try out Froyo on my device, and think the JM8 build is going to be the most appropriate.
Do I need to root/backup anything on my phone first? (I am fine with losing apps etc, and would rather reinstall from scratch anyway).
I have signed up to SamFirmwares, and have downloaded the file GT-I9000_I9000XWJM8_I9000XXJM4_CODE-MODEM, which I believe is the right firmware for my phone and region. I have also downloaded the s1_odin_20100512.pit file, which i *think* is the right one.
I also got the CSC_I9000OXAJM1.tar.md5 file which i think should be the right one. I also have Odin3 v1.3.
Can someone please just confirm these are the correct files for me?
So, all I need to do is:
- Start ODIN.
- Put my phone into download mode.
- Select the Re-Partition box, and make sure Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time are checked.
-Select the CODE file in the PDA box, and the Modem file in the PHONE box.
- Put the CSC_I9000OXAJM1.tar.md5 in the CSC box.
- Press Start.
Am I right to think my phone will now flash?
What are the likely-hood of me bricking/destroying my phone if I follow this procedure?
Again, I'm sorry that you have probably answered these questions a hundred times before, but hopefully you can understand why I want to be sure I'm doing this right .

Before you do anything please check if you CAN access download mode. If you can then its all GOOD! you are spot on and I congrats you on doing your research as many don't. Also PLEASE don't install the Froyo Betas as you can see for yourself (JPH/JP3) that theres ALOT of problems on it especially if you don't know much about flashing. Just wait another week or less for OFFICIAL FROYO as if something does go wrong we can actually get support from Samsung as its OFFICIAL.
Also NO you do not need to root your phone. You can do that if you choose to afterwards with a rom update/custom mod. Or just download the samsung root app from market rooting is very painless.

JM8 is NOT froyo.. It's eclair... (JP# is the currently designated Froyo series, but I suspect the designators may change after it becomes stable to the per-month thing)...
Honestly, at this point of time though, it isn't worth it. Samsung seems to have backported the highmem patch to eclair anyway, and Froyo isn't yet stable. Furthermore, there are reports of people's imei getting corrupted (which is fine if you back up /efs maybe, but it still isn't a safe operation).
Honestly, unless you have a need for the new API's, just wait until it's released (it's expected by the end of the month). And then, to be uber safe, use kies to upgrade.
Although, at this point of time, you should probably upgrade your firmware to a newer version of eclair anyway (using kies), because JF3 is ancient, and plenty of problems were fixed in August.

Thanks for the advice guys. I thought JM8 was a Froyo release. After researching more tonight, it seems the JP releases are less than stable at the minute, so i'll stay away from them and wait for the official release.
I updated my firmware via Kies this morning, and am now running:
PDA: I9000BUJM4
Phone: I9000BUJM3
CSC: I9000GVODJM3
The system seems to be running pretty much the same as before. There is no lag etc and it all runs smooth enough.
The only problem I have is that the software updated has now filled my phone with Vodafone branding. It has the Vodafone start screen, and loads of crappy Voda apps on it.
Is there a way I can remove these? or at least make sure I get a "clean" upgrade with the next software update (would removing the SIM before updating work?

You COULD root your phone and use Titanium Backup to remove the apps you don't want. But in all honesty I say get the latest official rom that your provider has. Be it the old JF3 as when Froyo comes out and you do (fingers cross) get a problem you can get actual support. This moment in time I would recommend you do nothing but go back to JF3 and wait for Froyo. But its your device so upto you

Pre-Update, Research of Chinese Galaxy S

Dear all
I write this post as I hope to get some input and some expert suggestions on the course of action I should take with my phone.
For many years I have been supplied with a phone through my company but it seems to be always the crappy old Nokia. Good for making telephone calls but worthless for anything else.
So recently I bought a Galaxy S on a business trip to China. I love the phone, it works and by now I have almost no Chinese letters and applications left anymore. This is really something else; I'll never go back to the company Nokia. Never!
I think most of the applications are working and I have access to the Android Marked. However, Youtube is not installed or working and I think that the GPS is a little off.
Now I read a lot about Froyo and I bet I would want to get that on my phone, I am also pretty sure that I want to get the phone totally de-Chinese and preferably into something Danish or at least English.
What do I do next?
I have been reading so much on this site that I am getting dizzy. Flashing, rooting, updating, kies(hey, I actually got it working now (again) ) Odin, JM1, JPK etc.
Now my phone has the following;
ProductCode: I9000HKDVD2
PDA: I9000XXXXX
Phone: I9000BUJG1
CSC: I9000GVD2JG1
SalesCode: VD2
Reading through posts on this forum I never saw anyone with the same codes as mine.
Model number: GT-I9000
Firmware version: 2.1-update1
Kernel version: 2.6.29 [email protected] #2
Build number: ECLAIR
As mentioned, I bought the phone in China and I have no idea if it is branded (with Google printed on the back cover) has been unlocked, but I suspect it has. It has been rooted (I have a little black ninja guy giving Superuser Permission) and there is a folder-like icon named "root(and some Chinese letters)"
Well, as I said I have Kies running again. First it was running fine then it stopped connecting to the phone and now after unmounting the external SDcard I can again access the phone from my PC.
Through Kies I can do a firmware update. But should I?
Will it be re-locked?
Will it get all the Chinese stuff back?
Will it somehow be converted into a European phone?
Should I wait for the official Froyo or just go ahead and update?
I can update again when the Froyo finally arrive?
Do I need to make backup of any of my "system" files before doing anything?
Any help suggestions and/or warnings will be appreciated.

If you can do an upgrade through Kies it will aslo tell you what the update is (JG2 for example) since you have what I gues is a chine salescode, you will probably get a chinese update .. What you can do, is goint to the devlopers section and read the topic about spoofing your productcode in the registry so Kies thinks you have phone from another provider / country than that what you have now
I am almost certain that if you can enter an old danish firmware in the registry and a danish productcode you will get offeren a new new danish firmware through kies ..This will not relock your phone ( if it was locked before) as far as I know only the froyo builds will do that.

I have been reading some more on the forum and found that the phone is actually branded.
Model [Country of Origin](Branded Phone Carrier) = Code
I9000 [Germany](Vodafone) = GT-I9000HKDVD2
I have also checked out the 3-button combo which seems to be disabled on my phone. I'll get this fixed before doing anything.
So I want to update to the froyo release and will probably be uding the Kies hack to do this. I'll use the XEE code which I believe will give me the danish language as an option.
Do I need to make backup of some of the system files before doing this?
In some poste there is talk about backing up some system files before upgrading as there is some information which is needed to unlock the phone again.

Well. I am still investigation this issue.
Now I am looking into using odin and firmware from samfirmware . com. Probably to JPA or JPO? Then I have been reading about the DocRambone ROM and will probably try that.
However they suggest to "- Check Simlock and Network lock is OFF *#7465625#". When I do this I am promted with a "Rejected" message.
Can anybody please tell me what this means?
I do not want to start messing with it before I know that the phone will not be locked after flashing to new firmware?
If it will be locked then what is the procedure of unlocking anagin. I have already made backup of the "nv_data.bin.md5" and the "nv_data.bin". Having these files is the same as having backup of the /efs? Reason for asking is that I cannot find /efs on the root of my phone.
Please help!

[Q] Trouble going back to Stock

From what I have gathered... this seems to be a problem that only I have encountered, or at the very least something that I have deemed annoying enough that now I have to solve it... but I recently threw Gingerbread onto my i9000, quite successfully I might add, but I decided I wanted to go back to Froyo until the official release of 2.3 comes out of Samsung, since I am a big fan of "stock".
Problem is, every single ROM (I am at ten and counting) always results in Kies telling me that there is no update available. I have been loading only stock ROMs onto my device, so I am a little confused by this, since even the 2.1 firmwares have given me the same message. I know that, when I had Froyo loaded on stock, the message read that everything was up to date or something along those lines. Having that knowledge just means I won't be able to stop trying to put things back to stock until I see that same message again.
Anyone able to shed some light on what is happening here and how to fix it? Ideally I would love to load up 2.1 Eclair, update to Froyo using Kies and then just call it a day.
(PS. on Gingerbread I am getting some weird "static" screen popping up every time I restart... is that normal? I will take a picture and post it into the Gingerbread review forum if I can capture it.)

i was in a similar boat as you, loading 2.3 was no problem but going back is a pain in the ass.
BE WARNED! I spent nearly a day and i know a fair amount about what im doing, i even had to make the USB jig to force download mode at one point (testing different ideas) so be prepared for some issues.
what i did was use odin to flash stock JL2 (9000M bell version here), with 512 pit and a CSC file from another build (sorry i forget), bootloader update repartition clear efs checked. Thats the ONLY thing i could find to get me back to stock without any internal SD error messages.
IF YOU FLASH THE WRONG THING OR THE FLASHING PROCESS SCREWS UP YOU CAN BRICK YOUR PHONE. Read twice, do once.
See if you can find a stock rom for your area, what your phone came with, with the proper pit file and csc file.
Best of luck, you are not alone. I will definately be waiting for a less buggy leak before i switch back to gingerbread.

Kies reads and looks for the correct software for your product code and firmware tied to the supplying network .Once you install different roms you may change those details and Kies cannot find the correct details on your phone to recognise and match it to a firmware .
Spoof product keys and Kies registry patcher posts may help .
jje

Thanks for the quick answers guys... I shall plug-and-chug a bit more tonight and see if I cannot get something to work... then I will be back to post of my success (or failure).

You can use SpoofFw to trick Kies think you are on an official fw, the let Kies do the stock upgrade for you.

Having quite a bit of trouble getting Busybox installed properly, apparently... SpoofFW always starts up with "BusyBox not found. Spoof not possible." I have installed BusyBox a couple of different times from different sources and different versions... nothing seems to work. Am I missing something?
Also, when loading certain ROMs... the phone doesn't seem to register the modem anymore. There is a 2.2 ROM (forgot which) and the 2.3.3 ROM (without Bootloader) which, unusually enough, are the only ones WITH a working modem. Just tried loading up the 2.3.3 ROM w/Bootloader but the modem file from the non-bootloader version, and that seems to work... weirdly enough.
Since I am betting that there will be a "official" update through Kies to 2.3.x at some point, perhaps I will stick with this... since I am using an official ROM, will Kies recognize my phone properly and offer me an update, or has my product code become screwed up?

Wirebrook. I already replied to one of these today. Same happened to me. flashed back to jpu with a view to using kies to upgrade me to jpy but it wouldn't. So flashed eclair jm1 and kies upgraded me to jpy so I suggest that. You'll have to flash bootloader afterwards though as you'll lose 3 button reboot. But don't panic
Sent from my GTI9000 using XDA App, gingerbread 2.2.3 rooted, ADW launcher + gingerbread theme

I am using an official ROM, will Kies recognize my phone properly and offer me an update, or has my product code become screwed up?
Its not an official rom its a Samsung stock rom not the rom that was supplied with your phone . Kies might update it or might not .
You have firmware provided by the original phone seller and product codes hardware id firmware id for that . Kies will see that and update .
But its going to show not the firmware supplied by the original phone seller and tied to product code etc . Then requires you to Spoof Kies for an update .
jje

@Mossy1963
I'll give it a shot this evening... I have the JM1 firmware glaring at me in the face on my desktop right now, though... not sure that worked right the first time.
@JJEgan
As long as it is all "stock" I am pretty much fine with it at the moment. Not too bothered with having it tied to it's specific product code so much, although that would be nice.

wirebook said:
Having quite a bit of trouble getting Busybox installed properly, apparently... SpoofFW always starts up with "BusyBox not found. Spoof not possible." I have installed BusyBox a couple of different times from different sources and different versions... nothing seems to work. Am I missing something?
Also, when loading certain ROMs... the phone doesn't seem to register the modem anymore. There is a 2.2 ROM (forgot which) and the 2.3.3 ROM (without Bootloader) which, unusually enough, are the only ones WITH a working modem. Just tried loading up the 2.3.3 ROM w/Bootloader but the modem file from the non-bootloader version, and that seems to work... weirdly enough.
Since I am betting that there will be a "official" update through Kies to 2.3.x at some point, perhaps I will stick with this... since I am using an official ROM, will Kies recognize my phone properly and offer me an update, or has mys product code become screwed up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That error message its actually wrong, you get it because nv_data.bin could not be found in /efs folder.
This could be due to a faulty flash where Csc was not applied correctly in recovery on the first boot.
Reflash with Odin is the solution.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App

@Mossy1963
No cigar whatsoever... Kies simply stated there was no update to be done. Oh well.
@LuffarJoh
Tried reflashing... didn't work either.
Aaaaand to make things weird, that sometimes-working Antenna suddenly started working with an Eclair ROM that it hadn't worked before. Then after a reboot... nothing anymore. And now I have flashed the thing back to Gingerbread and what do you know... no more antenna. I would much rather have a working phone as opposed to a "perfect-stock" phone, so it looks like I might have to get an exchange... and perhaps acquire what I was after in the first place at the beginning of this thread anyways.

Hi, I was wondering exactly the same thing after flashing 2.3.3 today. I just like the idea of being able to plug the phone into kies to get a proper release although, I've no doubt the exact same version will be available for download. Has anyone got any useful info ?

[Q] Kies 2.0.0.11033_25/2.0.0.11032_12_9 Which one ?

Sorry if I've missed it searching but , I'm using 2.0.0.11033_25 Kies, and it tells me the latest version is already installed, but Samsung mobile says that 2.0.0. 11032_12_9 is the latest version to download. Don't know whether I'm supposed to stick with what I've got, to get Gingerbread, or get the lower numbered version on Samsungs web site, I would really value your input, by the way 2.0.0.11033_25 seems to be working fine had it for a while now. Thanks

It is the latest version and older Kies will upgrade to that version anyway .
You will get the firmware update when the network that supplied your phone update it and post it on the Kies server .
jje

Thanks for your quick reply. Mine is a unbranded unlocked i9000 from new,I think it's been jf3, jm1 and now jpy, I don't know whether this frustrates or helps but up to now the phones not been a bit of trouble and each upgrade with kies has gone straitforwardly, sim and micro left in, and my original 3 skype retained. I think the phones great, I'm looking forward to the speed you guys talk of with the next rom, as long as it upgrades as well as before.
This site and the help that you people give are impossible to put a true value on, thanks for being there.

I think it depends on your region but _25 is a January build while _12 is a March build.

I didn't realise that,tell you whats funny though,on one computer(vista.)I've got _25and on another(Xp) I've got _12, yet they both say they have the latest version. Either way, neither show a natural Kies update yet. Thanks again.

[Q] Kies Not Showing the Newest Open European Firmware for my Note

I recently purchased a Galaxy Note (Unlocked) and am loving the device. I was reading online that there was a newer open european firmware (LA3) but was perplexed as my phone was saying there are no upgrades for it. I installed Kies (the UK version) and it updated it's self to 2.2 yet it still does not show any newer firmware than what is on my phone (KKA).
Is there a way to force Kies to let me update? or am I missing a step (I never did create a samsung account).
Thank you in advance...

Hi there,
I also recently purchased a Note, and have been spending FAAAR tooo much time lurking on this forum trying to work out whats what with rooting/roming and all things GNote.
Fairly new to all this android malarky and tbh i'm kinda just responding to your question as a way to clarify what, i have, thus far, gleaned from by lurksome xda ways! And as an attempt to stop lurking so much and try and give back some of the understanding xda has given me.
Your question is something I was also rather confused by, but from what I understand - It seems that Samsung rolls out OTA and Kies updates to phones with different CSC codes at different times.
I think it is only the German (DBT) phone which has had the latest LB1 update. I know that my XEU phone is also still on KKA, with no ota or kies updates available.
From what I understand, the way one gets the updates without rooting is through flashing them with a Windows app called PC Odin with the phone in download mode.
Or via rooting your KKA rom
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1329360
and then flashing the updated firmware with either Mobile Odin or Clockwork Mod.
In all cases I believe you must download the firmware from either the sammobile site or http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1424997
If any (or all!) of that is totally wrong - please someone with greater experience wade in and put me straight, but I just thought that seeing as no-one else had responded - i'd try and make something of all the hrs i've spent lurking on here since i got this phone
Anyhow I'm sure if you just follow the links i've posted to the brilliant work of Dr Ketan - you won't go far wrong
Personally, I've not actually put any of this to the test yet - wanna make sure I really do know my arse from my elbow or in this case - my dalvik from my build.prop before I go messing with a £500 phone....

knowayback said:
Hi there,
I also recently purchased a Note, and have been spending FAAAR tooo much time lurking on this forum trying to work out whats what with rooting/roming and all things GNote.
Fairly new to all this android malarky and tbh i'm kinda just responding to your question as a way to clarify what, i have, thus far, gleaned from by lurksome xda ways! And as an attempt to stop lurking so much and try and give back some of the understanding xda has given me.
Your question is something I was also rather confused by, but from what I understand - It seems that Samsung rolls out OTA and Kies updates to phones with different CSC codes at different times.
I think it is only the German (DBT) phone which has had the latest LB1 update. I know that my XEU phone is also still on KKA, with no ota or kies updates available.
From what I understand, the way one gets the updates without rooting is through flashing them with a Windows app called PC Odin with the phone in download mode.
Or via rooting your KKA rom
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1329360
and then flashing the updated firmware with either Mobile Odin or Clockwork Mod.
In all cases I believe you must download the firmware from either the sammobile site or http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1424997
If any (or all!) of that is totally wrong - please someone with greater experience wade in and put me straight, but I just thought that seeing as no-one else had responded - i'd try and make something of all the hrs i've spent lurking on here since i got this phone
Anyhow I'm sure if you just follow the links i've posted to the brilliant work of Dr Ketan - you won't go far wrong
Personally, I've not actually put any of this to the test yet - wanna make sure I really do know my arse from my elbow or in this case - my dalvik from my build.prop before I go messing with a £500 phone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the help to answer your question you are in part correct (from what I can gather). Samsung does issue updates based on CSC codes and there is nothing for the UK CSC code. However they also release what is called open updates. Meaning any carrier in a given country can use a open update for that country. Beyond that they release what is called open European updates that any unlocked phone in Europe can use.
My question is the latest open European update is LXA or LLA or something like that which is farther along than the KK5 I am on. Since it is open European I should be able to update to it I would think. There could be something to the fact that the UK is considered part of the EU so it might not fall under even an open European release and if that is the case than so be it.
I am just trying to find out why my unlocked international version of the note can not seem to update to the latest open European update

Ok, so from the sounds of it - i think your definitely better informed than me on Samsung update protocol
Haven't heard any of that before. I was under the impression that the XEU code was the unlocked open euro code....
Anyway, just thought i'd let u know that i took the plunge today - deciding that I trusted XDA more than Samsung to update my phone
Rooted my stock KKA rom using dr ketans posts as my guide, then flashed the stock LB1 firmware and have since flashed Franco's kernel.....all seems well so far
Although one thing i did notice is that my Antutu score was significantly lower after flashing Lb1, but before flashing Franco's kernel (haven't tested since)....
Anyway good luck waiting for an official update - in my limited experience - I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for OEM's to issue OTA updates...

Valdeck said:
I am just trying to find out why my unlocked international version of the note can not seem to update to the latest open European update
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is cool. But how to find whether my phone is locked or not?
And what about if we try to involve the Samsung support on this question? I'm also stuck with kk5 and i'm also in Europe.

Spo0f said:
This is cool. But how to find whether my phone is locked or not?
And what about if we try to involve the Samsung support on this question? I'm also stuck with kk5 and i'm also in Europe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to know what region your phone is from plug it into the computer after you have installed samsung kies. Once you do if you look at the screen for your phone you will see three sets of letters and numbers. The last one in the string will have your CSC once you get that do a google for where it is from.
If you are on kk5 like me then you probably have a UK code.
An phone is unlocked by default when you import it from Europe as they use a different model for cell carriers than we do in the states.

The simple way to get the latest updates is....change your CSC with *#272*imei# in the dialer pad to the lastest update ( csc)! You don't need root or odin or mobile odin. Just change your country code. This will wipe your phone...but after restart you will get a promt to update your software as soo. As wou are connected to a wifi. There are many post about it...the csc change is described in sgs2 foruns and all over the net. About the country code, please visit sammobile.com and in firmware section you will find detailed info about those codes.
P.S. My note was originaly in XEH ( open Hungary), I'm from Romania so I changed my CSC to Open Germay (DBT-debitel) and after restart i got 2 consecutive updates.
Hope to help, sorry for my bad english
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

The easiest way to get updates is via XDA. Download PC Odin, and choose whatever Rom you fancy from the first sticky thread in Note development.